Display package and shipping system

ABSTRACT

A display package for containing, shipping and displaying products to be sold at retail has a top and bottom portion with central recessed areas. The package is configured such that the rims defining the central recessed areas can be telescopically engaged in the recesses of similarly configured packages located in front of and behind the package. Two or more packages so assembled conveniently support each other without any additional support. When so assembled the packages form self supporting rows that lend themselves particularly well for shipping on pallets. Once at the retail outlet, the packages and packaging system are ready for immediate display and sale when the pallet is placed on the floor of the retail outlet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a display package for displaying merchandise in a commercial setting, and to a system for interlocking a plurality of packs making the packs suitable for shipment from manufacturer to retailer and equally suited for immediate display on pallets in the same configuration. The invention also relates to a system for shipping and displaying products that are packaged in display packs according to the present invention in a blister pack form.

[0002] Many products are sold in blister packs. In most of these packages, the article is placed on a piece of cardboard and then covered by a plastic bubble which is attached to the cardboard. Some blister packs use a plastic back rather than cardboard. Typically, blister packs are shipped in larger shipping containers or on pallets to the point of sale. There the blister packs are removed from the shipping carton or shipping packaging and displayed for sale on shelves, counters, tables and racks.

[0003] Many retail stores are now selling articles directly from their shipping containers. This permits them to reduce their labor costs because they no longer need to remove the products from the shipping container, and then place them on display racks. A preferred practice is to simply cut away a portion of the shipping container, leaving the product to be displayed in the remaining portion of the shipping container. Preferably, a sufficient part of the shipping container is cut away so that the products can easily be seen by the passing customer.

[0004] Because of their shape and the location of their center of gravity, most blister packs tend to fall over when placed in an upright position. Consequently in order for blister packs to be displayed in a shipping container or on a pallet, it is necessary to provide some form of support structure, to hold the blister packs in an upright display position. A number of systems have been utilized, most of which require an insert which is positioned adjacent opposite sides of the blister packs. The insert has slots into which the opposite edges of the blister pack are fitted. This type of insert is usually placed along opposite side walls of the shipping container.

[0005] Numerous shipping systems and display packs have been provided in the prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,117, inserts are placed in the bottom of the shipping container which receive and supports display packs which are placed in the insert. For pallet display, a stand or support rack is utilized, see for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,662.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention provides a display package for merchandising an article of commerce which comprises a package having a front half with a first raised element defining a first central recessed area on the top half of the package and a rear half having a second raised element defining a second central recessed area on the bottom side of the package.

[0007] The second raised element has a boundary dimension smaller than the boundary dimension of the first raised element such that when the two halves of the package are joined together, the package can be assembled with an adjacent display package of the same configuration with the bottom half of the first package being received into the top portion of the adjacent package in a telescoping relationship.

[0008] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a display package for merchandising an article of commerce which comprises a package having a top front half and a bottom rear half. The top front half of the package has a first male rim and four raised walls at right angles to each other, defining a central recessed surface. The exterior sides of the walls taper outwardly toward the first rim. The rear half of the package has a second female rim to receive and matingly engage with the first rim, four raised walls extending away from the rim and a central surface located interiorly of the four raised walls. The four raised walls are positioned at right angles to each other, and surround the central surface. The interior side of the raised walls of the rear half taper inwardly to mate with the tapered raised walls on the top portion of an adjacent package, such that when the two portions are sealed together to create a blister pack enclosing an article of commerce, a first display package can be joined with an adjacent display package of the same configuration, with the bottom portion of the first package receiving the top portion of the adjacent package in a nested configuration.

[0009] The configuration of the display package is such that a plurality of packages can be thus engaged in a self-supporting row. To further augment the system, 2 and 3 rows of display packages can be placed side by side, next to each other, and comprise a first layer of display packs which is then placed on a pallet. Second and third layers can be stacked on top of the first layer, separated by a sheet of cardboard or the like. When a shrink wrap covering is placed around the entire assembly, including the pallet, the package is ready for shipment. When received at a commercial or retail outlet, and the pallet borne assembly can be placed on the floor of the outlet such as a warehouse store or the like and the shrink wrap is removed from the assembly. The packages are immediately available and ready for display to customers. Removal of the first pack from the top layer and first row leaves the other packs in the row intact so that the packages can be removed one by one, while the remaining display packages remain in self supporting nested relationship maintaining the integrity of the display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The invention may more readily understood by referring to the accompanying drawing in which

[0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display pack according to the present invention.

[0012]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the display pack of the present invention showing front and rear portions aligned.

[0013]FIG. 3 is a plan view of the exterior surface front portion of a display pack.

[0014]FIG. 4a is a plan view of the interior side of the rear portion of the display pack.

[0015]FIG. 4b is a view similar to 4 a showing support feet along one edge.

[0016]FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the front portion taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 3.

[0017]FIG. 6 is a cross-section of the rear portion taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

[0018]FIG. 7 is a cross-section of the display package according to the present invention with a product such as a camera encased within the package.

[0019]FIG. 8a is a side elevation of two packs joined together and; FIG. 8b is a similar side elevation showing a support bar in cross section.

[0020]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a plurality of packs on a pallet ready for shipment or display.

[0021]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a display package according to the present invention.

[0022]FIG. 11 is a perspective of the display package of FIG. 10 illustrating the nesting engagement of the bottom half of one display package with the top half of an adjacent package.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] A perspective view of a display pack according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The pack 10 is generally rectangular in form and comprises a front portion 14 and a rear portion 16 which when assembled are sealed together around a rim 12 at the border of the package. The package is preferably formed from a clear plastic material which is formed by a process such as injection molding or vacuum forming. The front portion 14 and the rear portion 16 have a rectangular outline and each has a recessed central portion 26, 28 respectively which is also generally rectangular in outline. Recess 26 has a bottom surface 18 and recess 28 has a bottom surface 20. The opposite sides of surfaces 18, 20 abut each other and are used to form a blister pack which contains the product to be encased and to be displayed by the package. As will be described in the further description of the invention, surfaces 18 and 20 are bounded by a raised rectangular ridge 22 and a raised rectangular ridge 24. The depth of the recess 26 in the front portion is less than the depth of the recess 28 in the front portion. In addition, the perimeter of the rectangular ridge 22 is dimensioned to be slightly smaller than the perimeter of the ridge 24 as will be described in greater detail. This permits the front portion of a second package to be inserted into and nest within recess 28 in the rear portion 16 of the package in front of the front portion when two or more packs are assembled together for shipment or for display in a commercial or retail setting. In one embodiment the surfaces of the recesses having mating tapers to facilitate insertion and mating. The invention contemplate packs of numerous different sizes such as 20″×24″, 10″×15″ and 8″×12″. Such package sizes are illustrative of a great variety of possible sizes. Geometries other than rectangles are also contemplated including circles, hexagons, ellipses, octagons and irregular geometries as well.

[0024] Referring now to FIG. 2, an exploded perspective view of the front portion 14 and the rear portion 16, it can be seen that display pack constitutes two halves that are similar to each other with the exception that the perimeter of ridge 22 is slightly smaller in its perimetric dimensions so as to telescope into and nest within recess 26 of the rear portion of an adjacent pack (see FIG. 8). In FIG. 2 front portion 14 is shown below rear portion 16. Rim 12 is comprised of a male half 12 a which engages female half 12 b on rear portion 16 when front and rear portions are brought together as the pack is assembled with a product to be displayed for sale. As seen in FIG. 2, channel 30 is located interiorly of rim 12 a and is dispersed around surface 32. Recess 26 is located on the side of portion 14 opposite surface 32.

[0025] Rear portion 16 in FIG. 2 is oriented in an inverted position relative to portion 14 such that surface 36 is disposed below or on the opposite side of recess 28. Rim 24 extends upward in FIG. 2 and the reverse of rim 24 defines channel 34 disposed around surface 36. Rim 12 b extends around the periphery of channel 34.

[0026] Referring now to FIG. 3, a plan view of the front portion 14 taken from the side of the portion 14 facing portion 16. The front portion 14 comprises rim 12 which extends around the perimeter of the front portion with a channel 30 located interiorly of the rim which extends around the entire periphery of the front portion and defines the walls of the ridge 22 on the exterior side of the front portion of the package. A flat surface 32 the opposite surface of surface 18 is located interiorly of channel 30 and the entire assembly is integrally formed of a suitable plastic which is preferably clear or translucent in order to provide a means for display of a product to be enclosed within the package. Surface 32 is intended to receive one side of the product to be displayed in the package and as will be discussed in greater detail with respect to the rear portion, surface 32 faces a similar surface 36 on the rear portion and the two surfaces are vacuum formed around the product to enclose it and to form a blister pack for containing the product to be sold in the package.

[0027] A plan view of the interior side of the rear portion 16 is shown in FIG. 4 and in configuration, it is similar to the front portion 14 and comprises a rim portion 12 b extending around the periphery of the package. A channel 34 located interiorly of the rim and a surface 36 which forms the mating surface to be abutted against surface 32 of the front portion 14. Rim 12 a on the front portion is raised and rim 12 b on the rear portion is recessed so that the raised half 12 a seats within the recessed half 12 b. When a product is assembled within the package, the two halves are secured together around the entire periphery of the rims 12 a and 12 b to seal the package. As more clearly seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 which are cross sections taken along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 3 and lines 6-6 of FIG. 4, the configuration of the rim portions 12 a and 12 b, the channels 30 and 34 and the abutting surfaces 32 and 36 are clearly illustrated.

[0028] With some products and some package configurations, it is contemplated that one or more edges of the display package according to the present invention will be modified to provide one or more support elements molded along one edge of the rear or bottom portion of a display package to function as a support bar or as support feet. Referring to FIG. 4B, as shown therein, three support feet 90 are located at spaced intervals along one edge of a display package. Alternatively an elongated support bar 92 is used. Such a bar is shown in sectional view in FIG. 8B. As in the case of individual feet, bar 92 extends along one edge of the package and the package is placed on this edge when being assembled with other packages for shipping and display.

[0029] Such a bar or individual feet are provided by molding right angular protrusions into the bottom portion along one edge. The display packages thus can stand on the support feet 90 or support bar 92 and can stand independently without support from adjacent packages or in groups of packages can be telescoped together deriving support from each other and from the feet or support bar.

[0030] The manner in which the front portion and back portion of the display pack are molded around the product to be packaged within and displayed by the pack is shown in a cross-sectional view of the display pack (FIG. 7) according to the present invention taken through a product such as a camera 40 which is to be displayed and sold in the package. As seen therein, the surface 18 and surface 20 are molded around the camera 40 to encase and securely hold it and a possible display card on which the camera is mounted encased within the packaging.

[0031] Another important aspect of the invention is illustrated by FIGS. 8 and 9. As shown in FIG. 8, two display packs, according the present invention are joined together by nesting a second pack 42 in the recess defined in the bottom of a first pack 44. The dimensions of the packs are chosen so that each individual pack of the display packs can be assembled by nesting the second inside the first, the third inside the second and so on to create a row of display packs (see FIG. 9). These display packs are thus self supporting and need no additional racks or auxiliary supports of any kind in order to stand on their sides without any additional supporting elements. When a single row of such packs are displayed on a shelf or a counter, the prospective customer merely takes the first pack from the row of packs and removes it for putting it into a shopping cart or taking to a check-out stand. The remaining packs in the row are undisturbed remain in their nested configuration and continue to support each other in a display position.

[0032] The shipping system of the present invention is illustrated by the perspective view of a pallet 46 having three layers 48, 50, 52 of display packs disposed thereon with each layer having two rows 54, 56 of display packs on each level. In many commercial settings, particularly warehouse stores and the like, it is common for merchandise to be placed out on the floor, so to speak, of the store on its pallet and displayed in that manner. The present invention is particularly suited for this kind of display because the packages can be assembled in rows and layers as shown in FIG. 9 and then once assembled, the entire package can be banded or can be shrink-wrapped with a strong material such as a shipping vinyl and shipped from the factory to the distribution points and thereafter from the distribution points to the individual retail outlets. Once received at the retail outlet, the pallet 46 is placed on the floor by means of a forklift or the like. The personnel simply remove the shrink-wrap from the assembled package and a display is ready for presentation to customers for sale without any the necessity of any further action, saving a substantial amount of material and labor in moving the product from factory to floor display.

[0033] The display package according to the present invention can be configured in a number of embodiments. An alternate embodiment of the display package according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 10. As shown therein the package comprises a top portion 60 and a bottom portion 62. The top portion 60 has a first raised element 64 which extends around the periphery of the package and defines a first central recess 68 located interiorly of element 64. A first flange 72 extends outwardly from the element 64 and defines the outer edge of the top half of the display package. Located within the first recess 68 is a product receptacle 82 which is molded into the surface of the recess and can be of any number of configurations conforming to the configuration of the product to be inserted within the receptacle. As shown in FIG. 10 the raised element is a rectangle having four sides and defining a wall extending around the package and having a height to create a sufficiently deep recess to comfortably have a product receptacle molded within the recess with the top of the receptacle being disposed below the plane of the top of the rectangular wall. A step 76 defining a recess is located immediately exteriorly of perimeter 64 and interiorly of flange 72. As will be discussed below this recess is intended to receive a raised element on the bottom portion of the package to assist in the registration of the top and bottom halves together during assembly and prior to joining of the flanges of the top and bottom portions to securely encapsulate the product.

[0034] The bottom half of the package 62 is also shown in FIG. 10. As shown therein, a second raised element 66 defines a recess 70 on the underside of the package. The reverse of recess 70 is a surface 84 which provides base surface upon which the product is placed prior to the top half being brought into registration with the bottom half and the joining operation takes place. As shown in FIG. 11, the raised element 66 is dimensioned in such a manner as to be slightly smaller than the peripheral dimension of recess 68 so that the raised element 66 of the bottom portion 62 can be telescopically engaged with the first recess 68 of an adjacent package to provide a packaging system suitable for display and shipping that is a feature of this invention.

[0035] Because molding of the top and bottom portions create raised elements and the recesses, the molding also produces in the bottom half 62, a channel 86 extending around surface 84 which constitutes the reverse side of ridge 66. A similar channel 88 is located in the top portion 60 and is the reverse of first raised element 64. Shoulders 80 are formed in the interior of first recess 68 and are located intermediate the top and the bottom of the recess. These shoulders 80 serve as stops for receiving and being engaged with second perimeter 66 when an adjacent package is brought together in a telescoping relationship and provides a specific and defined depth of placement for the adjacent package to prevent one package from being jammed into the adjacent package making separation of one package from the other difficult or cumbersome. Alternatively, the stop function can be provided by a ridge extending partially or fully around the interior of the recess and also by tabs at spaced intervals around the recess.

[0036] Although the invention has been shown and presented herein by means of certain embodiments of the display packs and shipping and display systems, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will be able to identify various modifications which still remain within the ambit of the claims which follow. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A display package for merchandising an article of commerce comprising: a front half of the package having a first raised element defining a first central recessed area on the top side of the package; a rear half of the package having a second raised element defining a second central recessed area on the bottom side of the package, the second perimeter having a boundary dimension smaller than the boundary dimension of the first perimeter such that when the two halves of the package are joined together enclosing the article of commerce, the package can then be engaged with an adjacent display package of the same configuration with the bottom half of the first package being received into the top portion of the adjacent package in a telescoping relationship.
 2. A display package according to claim 1 wherein the raised elements are continuous.
 3. A display package according to claim 2 wherein the raised elements define generally rectangular central recessed areas.
 4. A display package according to claim 2 wherein the raised elements define generally irregular congruent central recessed areas.
 5. A display package according to claim 2 wherein the raised elements define a generally elliptical central recessed areas.
 6. A display package according to claim 2 wherein the raised elements define generally circular central recessed areas.
 7. A display package according to claim 1 having planar flanges on the front and rear halves extending outwardly from the raised elements around the outer edge of the display package.
 8. A display package according to claim 1 wherein the upper central recessed area includes at least one protrusion extending inwardly from the interior wall of the first raised element and spaced intermediate the top and bottom of the first element to provide a stop for an adjacent package telescoped into engagement with the package.
 9. A display package according to claim 8 wherein the at least one protrusion is a shelf extending around the interior of the first raised element.
 10. A display package according to claim 8 wherein the at least one protrusion is one or more shoulders located at spaced intervals on the interior of the first raised element.
 11. A display package according to claim 8 wherein the first raised element is generally rectangular and the protrusion is a shoulder located at each corner of the rectangle.
 12. A display package according to claim 2 having a product receptacle formed into the first central recessed area.
 13. A display package for merchandising an article of commerce comprising: a top half of the package having a first rim extending around four raised walls disposed at right angles to each other defining a generally rectangular central recessed surface, wherein the interior sides of the walls taper inwardly toward the recessed surface; a bottom half of the package having a second rim to be received into and matingly engage the first rim, the second rim extending around a central surface wherein the bottom half has four downwardly extending channels disposed at right angles to each other surrounding the central surface which define four raised walls disposed at right angles to each on the opposite side of the bottom half, said walls having an outward tapered on their exterior side to mate with the tapered side walls on the top portion such that when the two portions are sealed together enclosing the article of commerce in a blister pack, said package can be nested with other display packages of the same configuration with the bottom half of the first package receiving the top portion of an adjacent package in a nesting relationship.
 14. A display package according to claim 13 wherein the raised walls of the top half define a channel on the opposite side of the top half surrounding the recessed surface.
 15. A display package according to claim 14 wherein the downwardly extending channels define four raised walls on the opposite side thereof extending away from the plane of the central surface.
 16. A display package for merchandising an article of commerce in a retail setting comprising: a top portion of the package having a raised wall extending around the entire top portion and defining a central depressed area, the sides of which taper slightly inwardly toward the bottom of the central area; a first rim extending around the top portion at the base of the raised wall; a bottom portion having a second rim to be received into and matingly engage the first rim and a central area located within and surrounded by the rim, the bottom portion having four downwardly extending sides at right angles to each other which taper inwardly to mate with the taper on the top portion of an adjacent package such that when the two portions are joined together enclosing the article of commerce, said package can be nested with other display packages of a similar configuration with the bottom portion of the first package being received and nesting within the central area of the top portion of an adjacent package.
 17. A row of display packages according to claim 16 wherein the top portion of each package defines a recess of a predetermined geometry and rims of each succeeding bottom portion are telescopically engaged in the recess of the top portion immediately following it in the row.
 18. A display pack which comprises: a) a first section which functions as the bottom half of the display pack, the first section comprising a first rectangular surface surrounded by four raised sides extending downwardly from the first surface to define a first perimeter and a first rim integrally formed on the exterior of the raised sides at the base thereof; b) a second section which functions as the top half of the display pack, the second section comprising a second rectangular surface having the same dimensions as the first surface, the second surface being surrounded by four raised sides extending upwardly from the second surface to define a second perimeter slightly larger than the first perimeter and a second rim integrally formed with the exterior of the raised sides at the base thereof; wherein the exterior surfaces of the first section raised sides taper outwardly and the interior surfaces of the second section taper inwardly such that a second display pack of the same configuration as the first display pack can be engaged with and partially telescope within the pack.
 19. A row of display pack according to claim 18 wherein the first section of each package defines a rectangular central recess and the raised walls of each succeeding second section are telescopically engaged in the rectangular recess of the first section immediately following it in the row. 